Warsaw police refer Arkadiusz Milik to court over pedestrian crossing driving violations

Traffic violations at Plac Powstańców

On Friday, 25 September 2026, a few minutes past 12:00, Polish international footballer Arkadiusz Milik committed multiple traffic offences in the centre of Warsaw while driving a Mercedes G-Class SUV. Traffic in the city centre was congested in the area of Plac Powstańców Warszawy with vehicles lining up toward Świętokrzyska Street. The incident took place on the day of the international fixture between Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina held in Warsaw. Stalled in the queue directly ahead of a marked police car, the Mercedes pulled out of the lane and crossed a double continuous white line. The vehicle proceeded to overtake the queue of stationary cars directly across an unsignalled pedestrian crossing in plain view of the following officers.

Roadside reprimand and subsequent red light

The police officers activated their vehicle's emergency light signals and pursued the Mercedes, pulling up beside it to conduct a brief stop. The roadside interaction lasted approximately 30 seconds, after which officers allowed the striker to drive away without issuing a fine or recording penalty points. The officers applied Article 41 of the Code of Petty Offences, a legal mechanism allowing police to administer an educational measure such as a verbal warning or admonition. A short distance and several intersections later, the vehicle committed a further traffic violation by driving through a red traffic light while making a right turn. The full incident was captured on video and published by the daily newspaper Fakt, generating widespread public reaction and media coverage across Poland.

Officers do not always have to punish. The law also provides that police officers can draw the driver's attention to improper behavior.

Police command refers case to court

On 30 September 2026, the District Police Commander for Warsaw I, covering the Śródmieście district, re-examined the documentation and video materials from the 25 September stop. The police command determined that the initial educational warning would not conclude the matter, ordering further investigative steps regarding offences against road safety. Officers secured the video recordings to formally identify the full sequence of driving infractions. Staff Sergeant Jakub Pacyniak, spokesperson for the Śródmieście district police, confirmed that applying Article 41 on the scene does not bar authorities from pursuing judicial penalties once full documentation is reviewed.

The gathered material will serve as the basis for sending a motion for punishment of the driver to the competent court.

Potential penalties and driving license risk

Under Polish traffic regulations, overtaking a vehicle on or directly before a pedestrian crossing is categorized among the most severe road safety offences, carrying a mandatory fine of 1,500 PLN and 15 penalty points. Crossing a double continuous line carries a fine of 200 PLN and five penalty points, while ignoring a red traffic light adds a 500 PLN fine and 15 penalty points. If prosecuted collectively, the three infractions correspond to 35 penalty points and 2,200 PLN in fines, surpassing the 24-point legal limit that results in driving license revocation. The legal case arrives during an uncertain period for the 32-year-old Juventus striker, who completed rehabilitation from extended injury problems but was left unregistered by the Italian club for all competitions in the current season.